Tears of Diamond
by CentaurFirenze
Summary: Cho remembers Cedric on top of the Astronomy tower.


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TEARS OF DIAMOND

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A chilly breeze sweeps past my face as I step onto the Astronomy Tower. It's 2:00 in the morning. Not the Prefectly kind of duty that's expected of a Ravenclaw. I look out at the Hogwarts grounds, they resemble a wide expanse of dark blue velvet….like that of the dress robes I wore to the Yule Ball. The stars spot the sky, and I see Cassiopeia. I remember…….it's hard to remember, isn't it? Don't you wish it would just all go away? Don't I wish……..   
  
_ "Cho! Look there, it's Cassiopeia!" I look up to where Cedric is pointing. All I see is a jumble of stars. "I don't get what you find so amazing about Astronomy," I tell him.  
He grins at me,his crystalline blue eyes glinting cheerfully. His dark hair frames his face just right. His smile is perfect, and it conjures a warm sensation in the pit of my stomach, as if I'd just drank a Hagrid size tankard of Butterbeer. "I think I was a Centaur in another life……" he murmurs, as he turns towards the night sky. "It doesn't take much to enjoy the beauty of a night sky...but even then, I can think of something more beautiful I'd rather enjoy…………." He looks at me then, with that expression that says I'm the only thing in the world that matters to him, and he cups my chin in his large hand. "You._   
  
A lone tear falls. I watch as it continues downward, sparkling like a diamond in the moonlight. Everyone always tells me that I should just remember all the fun times we had together…….that those are all I have. Well I wish someone would Obliterate my memory……..take all these images away from me, taunting and teasing me of a life that I can never have again.   
Anyone who says 'it's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all', onviously hasn't.   
  
_ "Boo!" I say, right in his ear. Cedric whirls around, then smiles. "I wasn't expecting you to be here." He says, as I climb into his lap underneath a huge willow tree. "A Ravenclaw prefect cutting Divination?"   
I smile, and kiss him on the check "I knew I had you waiting for me…..she couldn't have told me anything better."   
Cedric laughs, and stands, dumping me on the ground. I laugh as well, and smack his feet.   
"Watch this…." He picks up a round, flat stone, and skips it….once…twice….three times….four….it keeps skipping, until it sinks,almost at the far end of the lake. I watched in admiration.  
"How did you do that?" I ask. He grins and takes another rock. "I'll show you, watch."   
He puts his arms around me, strong from many a Quidditch Match. I'll never be as good a Seeker as he. He instructs me on how to position my hands to skip, but I'm not listening. He smells of pine, and the water…I breathe in deeply and snuggle closer. He flashes that smile at me again "You haven't listened to me at all, have you?"   
I look up into his smiling face and say "Only the good parts. 'You want to……hold….me…….like this…….until…….supper.'" I look at him suspiciously "You did say supper, didn't you?"   
He grabs my arm and pulls me into a sitting position where I can comfortably use him as a pillow. We stay that way until Padma comes to get us._   
  
Goodbye. I never did say that, did I? I'll say it now. Goodbye Prefect, Boyfriend, Seeker, Hufflepuff, Tri-Wizard School Champion, brother, son, dancer………….goodbye Cedric.   
An unsettling calm sweeps over me as the tears stop. It's not fair.Why should Cedric have to die? He never did anything wrong…..he was perfect, nice, kind, handsome…………I _loved_ him. It should've been me, I would have died for him……if only I had been there……..   
A small breeze lifts my hair and tosses it around, I shiver. It's as cold as it was at the funeral……..   
  
_ "And here he lies, at peace forever. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust." I turn away as the minister finishes and Cedric's coffin is lowered into the grave. I wish it were all just a terrible joke, that he would suddenly pop out of the grave and say "April Fools!" and gather me in his arms once more. But Cedric was never a joker……but he was never dead either.   
All around are people who knew Cedric, his parents, all the Hufflepuffs…….and Harry. Harry, who brought Cedric's body back, Harry, who knew the truth. He's standing there, face stony, while Hermione and Ron try to comfort him. It's raining, so it's hard to tell if he's crying or not. I walk over, and I hear Ron say "It wasn't your fault Harry, don't blame yourself."   
"I told him to take the cup." He says bitterly "If I hadn't been so noble, I would've died. Not him."   
As I walk up, Hermione hugs Ron, and I hear her crying. Harry turns around as I approach. We just look at each other, words can't describe this.   
"I'm…..so sorry." He chokes. _   
  
_With all my love I have to say   
I can't live without you anyway   
I'll stay with you for eternity   
Will you stay with me? _  
  
  
Our first dance was at the Yule Ball……do you remember that? To _With all my love_, by the Weird Sisters. They played it at you funeral, Cedric. Oh……why did you have to die? To leave me all alone? I'm not ready for that……..you were only 17…..   
I'll never forget the way you looked when you came back…….   
  
_ I fight my way through the screaming crowd, everyone is hysterical….. "He's dead! He's dead!"   
I know it's terrible, awful thinking, but I'm desperately hoping their talking about Harry. Krum and Fleur are already out of that stupid maze, built over our beloved Quidditch Pitch.   
I burst through the crowd and see Harry being held up, pale and sweaty holding the Cup by Dumbledore, and his other hand grasping Cedric. He's not moving.   
"Cedric Diggory's dead!" shouts Cornelius Fudge. I'm frozen to the spot. Padma, my best friend halts beside me, staring. "No....." I start struggling and shouting, trying to get towards Cedric. Everyone holds me back, trying to say something. What will they say? What __can_ they say? "He's not dead! " I scream frantically "He's not! Let me through! PLEASE! He isn't…..he can't possibly….please! No! No! I need to see him!"   
The crowd starts to break up into groups and I see Harry being half led, half carried up to the castle by Professor Moody. Cedric…..no, Cedric's body is being levitated towards the hospital tent, where Victor Krum is looking horrified. I can't move, it feels like I've been hit with a leg locker curse. I sit down I the mud, huddled in Cedric's cloak, crying. Hoping with all my heart and soul that this is just a bad dream……..a nightmare…..Please.   
  
  
He shouldn't have died. He was gone before I could tell him….I know now what I didn't know before……I couldn't have told him before he died?   
"I love you Cedric." I whisper, as the tears begin to fall down my cheek. "I love you. I wish you could have been there…..you would've won the Tournament. I knew you would. But I'd rather you lost horribly then be dead. Why dead! Gone forever.  
I love you Cedric.   
The last thing I ever said to you was "I know you'll win." I was right wasn't I? But you lost as well. In more ways than one.   
But you won't be gone forever. I'll meet you again, one day. We'll be together, and you'll brush my hair back, like you always used to. You'll Tell me it's alright,and that you'll never leave again. You'll love me like you did before….We'll see each other again…….soon. Because I love you, and no one can stop that. Not death, not time, not the strongest walls in the Universe.  
  
Goodbye, Cedric.   



End file.
